Local News

New building underway

College breaks ground on new welding building

By Rachel Alexander

Times Editor

Posted:
07/29/2014 09:00:00 PM MDT

Dr. Kerry Hart, president of Morgan Community College; Susan Clough, vice president of administration and finance; architect Don Milkovich; Jaylene Evans, division chair of business and applied technologies; Kevin Cruze, welding instructor; and contractor Vince Schauer turn the first shovelfuls of dirt at the ground breaking ceremony for MCC's newest building, Birch Hall, which will house the welding program. The building is scheduled to be completed in time for the spring semester. (Rachel Alexander / Fort Morgan Times)

Morgan Community College is well on its way to expansion.

The school's welding program has outgrown its current home behind the Country Steak-Out and the administration is ready to bring it onto the main campus.

On Tuesday, the school hosted a ground breaking ceremony for its new building, Birch Hall, which will house the welding program and some storage space for the college.

MCC President Dr. Kerry Hart said the college is planning to have the building ready for the program in time for the start of the spring semester in mid-January.

The 4,000 square foot welding space will have 20 stations for students, up from the current 14, along with instructor office space. The building will also have 2,000 square feet of storage space.

Hart said the building design is "nothing elaborate".

The building is being designed by Stanley Consultants with Don Milkovich as project manager. It will be built with Vince Schauer of Schauer Construction as contractor.

Hart said that the expansion of the welding program is part of the school's responsiveness to the needs of business and industry in the community. He said Leprino, Great Western Sugar and the Pawnee Power Plant have all used welders trained at the school.

But six years ago, Hart said, the welding program was struggling.

"The demand for welders has put our welding program in such high demand" that instructor Kevin Cruze was teaching from early morning until 10 p.m. each day to cover all the students, Hart said.

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